Harmonisation of Digital Markets in the EaP Vassilis Kopanas European Commission, DG CONNECT vassilis.kopanas@ec.europa.eu
The cost of non-europe European Parliament Research Study, March 2014 Fully realising the Digital Single Market: potential efficiency gains up to 260 billion Euro per year Higher productivity, faster flow of information Structural changes in economy, shift toward knowledge services Efficiency improvements, reduced transaction costs
The EU response: the DSM strategy On 6 May 2015, the EU will announce an ambitious Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy aiming to provide better access to goods and services, fair conditions for all market participants and a solid basis for the evolution of digital economies and societies. The DSM strategy will exploit the untapped potential of digitalisation and will tackle key barriers, including: regulatory fragmentation, discriminatory practices and outdated legislation.
Background on HDM in EaP July 2013, Poland, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Sweden, Georgia and Moldova presented a non-paper to the Council's Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST) on ICT development with EaP Countries'. They stressed the need for a "comprehensive approach in exploring the role of ICT for creating a common room for interoperable pan-european services". November 2013, EaP Summit in Vilnius. Summit declaration called for "promotion of information society policies and continued capacity building in the EaP, related to the creation of interoperable cross-border services". May 2014, EaP Platform 2 plenary meeting, Belarus presented a concept note for a new draft initiative: promoting Harmonisation of Digital Markets (HDM) of the eastern European partner countries and with the EU.
Workshops In order to reflect on the best way of transforming this initiative into concrete actions, two HDM workshops in Brussels, in July and October 2014. Each workshop gathered some 60 delegates from 12 EU MSs, all 6 partner countries and officials from EU Institutions. Participants discussed the objectives, scope and ambition of the initiative, feasibility, impact, implementation modalities and sources of financing. An HDM study was deemed necessary to provide the basis for the next steps, focusing on few jointly identified priority topics.
HDM Study - topics In December 2014, DG CONNECT launched the HDM study on "Harmonisation of Digital Markets in the EaP", which aims to assess the readiness of digital markets in the 6 eastern European partner countries for harmonisation with the EU's Digital Single Market. Financed via the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) Focuses on a small number of jointly identified priority topics: 1. Network & Information Security and Cyber-security 2. Electronic Identification and Trust Services 3. ecustoms 4. ecommerce with focus on SMEs 5. Digital Skills and 6. Telecom Rules
HDM Study - tasks For each of these topics and for each partner country, the study will provide the following: analysis of the current situation, compared to EU norms and best practices estimation of the political and economic benefit of harmonisation identification of the main obstacles and enablers for harmonisation and national harmonisation action plans for the short- and mediumterm (2-5 years)
Gaps analysis - 6 countries average Telecom Rules Identification and Trust 48 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 60 53 Network and Information Security & Cyber Security Digital Skills 38 47 53 ecommerce ecustoms 100% EU baseline
Armenia Telecom Rules Electronic Identification and Trust Services 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Network and Information Security & Cyber Security Digital Skills ecommerce Armenia ecustoms Average of EaP countries
Azerbaijan Telecom Rules Electronic Identification and Trust Services 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Network and Information Security & Cyber Security Digital Skills ecommerce ecustoms Azerbaijan Average of EaP countries
Belarus Telecom Rules Electronic Identification and Trust Services 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Network and Information Security & Cyber Security Digital Skills ecommerce Belarus ecustoms Average of EaP countries
Georgia Telecom Rules Electronic Identification and Trust Services 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Network and Information Security & Cyber Security Digital Skills ecommerce Georgia ecustoms Average of EaP countries
Moldova Telecom Rules Electronic Identification and Trust Services 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Network and Information Security & Cyber Security Digital Skills ecommerce Moldova ecustoms Average of EaP countries
Ukraine Telecom Rules Electronic Identification and Trust Services 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Network and Information Security & Cyber Security Digital Skills ecommerce Ukraine ecustoms Average of EaP countries
HDM Study - Results The results of the study, expected to be finalised for end-may 2015, after discussion in a workshop on 6 May in Brussels. Useful intelligence for designing future policy actions and assistance programmes for EaP's Digital Economy. Will be reflected in the Declaration of the 2015 EaP Summit (Riga, 22 May 2015) Basis for the Declaration of the EaP ministerial meeting on digital economy. Latvian Presidency of the Council, Luxembourg, 11 June 2015. Declaration: 28+6 ministers to confirm the role of ICTs for creating growth and jobs in Europe's economy and endorse ongoing and future initiatives Success stories : EaPeReg, E@P.Connect, DCFTAs
EaP Summit Declaration (draft) "The Summit participants recognize digital economy as an area with yet untapped potential for both the EU and partner countries. They welcome the launch of E@P.Connect linking the research and academic communities in the Partner countries to the pan-european research and education network GÉANT. They also welcome the setting up and establishment of EaPeReg, the EaP network of regulators for electronic communications and the completion of the Study on Harmonisation of Digital Markets in EaP. They look forward to holding of the first Eastern Partnership Ministerial meeting on digital economy next month and the planned establishment of a Panel on Harmonising Digital Markets in the 2 nd half of this year."
Action plan - egovernment egovernment wider deployment of egovernment services and further simplification of transactions between citizens, businesses and public authorities Open data. Charter on Open Data as guidance for opening up public sector information ehealth. Long-term ehealth strategy in the EaP, focusing on: telemedicine, remote illness monitoring, electronic patient files and m-health. ecustoms. electronic customs procedures; mutual recognition of authorised economic operators; common risk assessment framework; interoperability of customs information systems.
Action plan other eservices ecommerce for SMEs Harmonise ecommerce legislation and address the fragmentation of market practices, Harmonise legislation for Internet security & privacy of ecommerce services, online business environment, digital contracting, intermediary liability, protection of consumer rights elogistics and Digital Transport Corridors cross-border links of transport infrastructures and transport corridor connections. multimodal elogistics platforms for the main players of the supply chain - customs and tax authorities, trading companies, railway and cargo operators.
Action plan Key enablers Electronic identification and trust services Share EU best practices egovernment interoperability and crossborder electronic signatures. Improve legislation and its enforcement, for online privacy and personal data. Network and information security, cybersecurity critical information infrastructure protection part of national, social and economic policy. Exchange best practices engaging the EU's CERTs and the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA).
Further actions ICT-based infrastructures for etrade, trade process reengineering and the proper legal framework. Deployment of the E@P.Connect infrastructure, improved collaborations of the research and education communities Reduce digital skills shortage, benefiting from the experiences of EU's 'Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs'. Harmonise telecoms rules, clear broadband policies and targets and implement the regulatory frameworks that will guarantee investment and growth. On internet governance, promote transparency, accountability, inclusiveness and establish appropriate rules, in particular regarding accessibility and use of personal data.
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